Growth
by khushiyan
Summary: 40 smallish snippets on the development of the Zuko/Katara relationship.


**title** Growth

**author** khushiyan

**fandom**; **characters** Avatar; Zuko/Katara, snippet of Aang/Katara

**rating** PG

**summary** I was looking at rashaka's 40 prompts that she posted in the lj community katarazuko and I was intrigued. And then I began writing, and this is what happens. It explores the growth of the Zutara relationship, starting off with a few canon scenes, and then just wandering off into my own thoughts and tales. It's really just me messing about with different styles of writing, so if it gets confusing, sorry. Anyway, enjoy!

**an** I should have said earlier! Spoilers for 3X12!! If you like, skip number 19 & 20 and the rest should be good in the hood!

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**1. dangle**

She frowns and winces as he dangles her necklace in front of her. It dances before her eyes and she doesn't know what she wants more: to snatch it from him, or to let him drape it around her neck.

**2. civilized murder**

He's basically a good guy. Really, he is. But that doesn't mean that he can't steal a few chickens and snap their necks in half so he's got something to eat. But after the third night of killing chickens, he doesn't feel all that hungry anymore. For the rest of the week, his Uncle wonders why all his nephew has is tea.

**3. creaking floors**

She hears him before he tumbles down. He lands in a heap before her and she's not afraid at all. She's angry and hurt and she's going to make him pay for what he's done.

**4. books written by rabbits**

But she doesn't. She remembers the tales of forgiveness and loss her mother used to sing to her so she forgives him and touches him.

**6. memory cloth**

He rips off his sleeves and summons fire whips and attacks her. It feels like it used to. It feels like it's _something_ he knows. He ignores the look of anger and betrayal on her face.

**7. sanguine**

The blood pouring out of the Avatars back looks so much like the prince's scar. She blinks away her tears as she mourns for them both.

**8. tick tock**

The seconds last too long as he kneels before his father. The Fire Lord says nothing and the prince feels his heart explode. On a ship somewhere in the ocean, the waterbender knows the feeling all too well as she awaits the Avatars awakening.

**9. gilt and plaster**

When he thinks about her, which is more often than not, he imagines her covered in the gold and red of the Fire Nation. He imagines her beside him and he quite likes the picture it makes. But as Mai nestles in his arms, the gold washes away and she's covered in plaster and snow.

**10. snake eyes**

The one thing she remembers most about him is his eyes. Devious, dangerous. Amber. She thinks that they're rather like a snakes, but shakes away the thought. She's afraid of snakes, but him she's not afraid of.

**11. dibs**

He thinks that if the Fire Nation succeeds, he'll ask his father for the Water nations. He won't tell him why, but he'll have those icy lands for himself. And hopefully, her too.

**12. form and dignity**

She is graceful and beautiful and winning against the demons she fights. In her dreams she always defeats him and he always apologises and they always almost kiss. Almost, because she pulls back and sees his betrayal. Almost, because the Avatar always awakens her with a silly smile.

**13. time lapse**

He's counted the days without her. They're slow and long and they burn him whenever Mai saunters towards him. It's only in his dreams that he forgets. He forgets how long its been and rushes towards her shadow. And then he remembers again when he doesn't find her there.

**14. portraits of our mothers**

She pictures her mother's face. In the background of her dreams, her mother's face stands and smiles, or hides in the crowds and frowns. Even after all these years, she remembers the face clearly. Even after all these years, it's still the first face she expects to see.

**15. starry starry night**

It's a cool and calm night in the Fire Nation. The stars glimmer and glitter and he wonders if she's looking at the same sky. In the same country, she avoids going outside and looking up. She doesn't want to share anything with him anymore.

**16. hard way to go**

He's thought long and hard about it. It's been rolling around his mind for days now. He's planned everything out but it's still difficult for him to approach the man he used to call 'Father' and tell him he's leaving.

**17. violet haze**

The action is instinct. Push and pull. Root yourself. Be calm. Clear your head. He thinks that his uncle taught him well. He pushes the lightening back with the same intensity and he doesn't feel the tingling in his hands. Instead he feels the peace.

**19. reflecting anger**

He didn't expect her to welcome him straight away. But then again, he didn't expect her to be so cold either. Her words are sharp and stinging and doesn't know if it's the words that hurt or her smack of water.

**20. another child who's grown old**

She stands by his door and his face is surprised but not entirely unwilling. She marches towards him, the threats rolling off her tongue like honey and he freezes. Her face contorts and constricts and he feels a little heartbroken to find that she's not the same girl he's been dreaming about.

**21. blood brothers**

But perhaps she is. He watches her nurture and love and play and tease the others. He stands ramrod straight when her brother comes towards him and tells him that she's quite special. The prince nods and the two stand together, simply watching her.

**22. an artist's hands**

She has beautiful hands. Unlike everyone elses hands, hers are soft and delicate. They have a heartbeat of their own as he watches her swirl the water in the air. He suddnely feels very thirsty.

**23. proper**

When they arrive after practising firebending, she's standing there, hands on her hips and an impatient look on her face. But as they edge closer, a smirk grows on her face. She asks when the prince learnt how to earthbend and points to his clothes. He frowns and looks down at his muddy clothes. He glances back at her perfect self and shrugs. She giggles and tells him that he can leave the clothes for her to wash later. His eyes widen at her kindness and he nods.

**24. utmost simplicity**

She doesn't know what made her offer to clean his clothes. She just did. She washes the mud out of his cloak and then sets on pulling out the mud from his shirt when she notices the odd stitches on his clothes where he tried to mend them. She wonders whether she should fix them herself when he patters behind her, shirtless. She feels her cheeks redden as he asks her if she's done. Almost, she tells him and avoids looking at him as she pulls out the mud quickly. You know, I can mend this if you like, she says matter-of-factly as she then dries the shirt. He bends down beside her and shakes his head. It's okay, he whispers and their fingers brush against each others as he takes his clothes.

**25. the caress of rain**

Damn, he says, a thunderstorms coming. She jumps up at his words. Really? He frowns at her excitement and tells her not to get too excited. She rolls her eyes and tells everyone that she's going for a walk. He forbids her and she laughs at his choice words. Forbid? You're not the boss of me, she tells him icily and skips out into the forest. He follows her quietly and watches as she soaks in the thick drop of rain. He feels a strange calm in watching her happiness and smiles. A crack of thunder snaps his head up and he watches in horror as he feels the air grow colder. He jumps towards her and curses himself for being right as a clap of lightening falls to the sky, aiming for her. He redirects it, his forearms making circular motions and it hits a tree as it escapes. He breathes heavily as he turns to look at her. A lock of hair has stuck itself onto her forehead and her eyes are wide with confusion. He rolls his eyes and tells her I told you so, and she smiles and thanks him. The air is warmer and awkward as the rain cools his stinging hands.

**26. devilled kidneys**

When he decided to cook, everyone hit their heads in annoyance. No one but the prince himself and the water tribe boy liked Fire Nation food, and the latter didn't even count because he could eat anything. Give it to our head chef first, the blind earthbender commands as she turns her head away from the bowl in front of her. The waterbender sighes slowly and tenatively takes a spoon and begins to stir the food in the bowl. What is it, she asks in a frightened voice. Devilled kidneys, he says with a small smile. Aha! The Avatar yells, triumphant, and pushes the bowl away, I'm a vegetarian! The prince nods knowingly and tells him that he had used kidney beans instead for him. The Avatar's smile didn't hide his grimace. The waterbender takes a spoonful of the strange food and chews thoughtfully. Her eyes water and she swallows painfully and gasps loudly. It's hot, she says in a small voice. Oh, the prince nods and picks up his bowl and pokes the food. She bites her lip at his sad face and begin to eat the food as if she was ravenous. The others stare at her astounded, her brother especially, knowing that she can't handle spices in her food. I'm going for a walk to burn off all the food she tells the others with a triumphants smile, and patts her stomach appreciatively. The prince beams and nods as she skips away out of view. The blind earthbender cringes as she feels the waterbender gasp for air in between bursts of vomitting the food she couldn't take.

**27. scarf**

You know, I think we should all have some sort of secret outfit, the Water Tribe boy tells them with a thoughtful expression. Like what, the Avatar asks, the only one actually interested in the topic. Ooh, ooh! Like a scarf! The little boy with a helmet jumps up, excited at being a part of the group. A scarf? The prince asks, blinking a little, it's boiling in the Fire Nation, why would we need a scarf? Because it's a good idea the waterbender nods and glares at the prince. Come on Duke, let's go make scarves, she holds his hand tightly as the boy tells her for the 872nd time that it's THE Duke, Katara, it's THE Duke. They return a few hours later, arms full of an assortment of cloths. The two throw them towards the group, colours flying in the air. A long and thin blue one hits the prince in the face. He scowls and then looks at it thoughtfully. It's light blue, like the colour of the sky on a cloudy day. Blue thread woven as flowers into the edges carefully... I don't think this is mine, he tells them in a whisper. Has anyone seen mine? I don't have one, the waterbender asks in a concerned voice. The prince looks at the scarf in his hands and sighs. Here, he passes it to her and she glances at it. Oh...But where's yours? Her wide eyes look at him carefully as he shrugs. I don't have one. A thousand thoughts buzz into her mind and she shakes her head. No, that ones not mine, it's yours. The prince frowns, you made me a girly blue scarf? She raises her eyebrows, I'll have you know I pricked my fingers enough times making your girly blue scarf, so you had better appreciate it. She stands up and stomps away, and he holds the scarf lightly in his hands.

**28. theoretical**

In his head, like most things, it all works out. He would tell her that he liked her and that he hoped that they could be friends, but like most things, it didn't seem like it would actually work in real life. In his head, she'd smile and tell him that she's sorry, that she likes him too and she'd smile again. But when he edges towards her, her eyes are like daggers and he wonders what happened to all the kindness she had previously bestowed upon him. He pushes the flower he had picked into his sleeve and shuffles away.

**29. name your offer**

She doesn't know what to say when he tells her that he's not going to leave anyone behind. Words refuse to flutter in her mouth when he says that he's already left too many stranded. She wants to pat his shoulder, to hold him tight but this is still the boy she doesn't know. This is still the boy she's afraid of loving. You won't leave anyone behind, she tells him. Her hands itch to squeeze his in reassurance but they don't. He scoffs and she frowns and shakes her head, her hair flying with the movement. I'll make sure of it, I won't leave you alone for one minute.

**30. conversations with dead people**

And when he dreams of kissing her, he imagines himself blowing all the stars out of the sky so he can look clearly into her face. When he pulls back, he pouts and frowns when he sees that the kiss is still firmly stuck in the corner of her mouth. When he awakens later, and sees the smirk in her lips, the kiss in her face he realises he still has to take it.

**31. straight answer**

She's not the same girl he dreams about. She is completely different and he hates how he still doesn't know her that well. The girl in his dreams teases and smirks and mesmerises him with her singsong voice. And whilst this girl does the same, something is missing. There is no love here. And if there is, it's too far down for him to find it.

**32. crisis**

She looks in his face before the end comes and she furrows her brow. She sees darkness, hope and strange cracked expectations. Something pulls her towards him and she can feel his breath on her face. She looks into him and her wide eyes tell him everything that her gasped lips cannot. Gently, she holds his face in her hands and he closes his eyes like the first time. She tiptoes gently and kisses him sweetly, longlingly on his lips and he opens his eyes. She stares right back at him and then she pulls away slowly, her eye never flinching. What was that, he breathes softly. So many beautiful answers flutter into her mouth like he just did, but she cannot bring herself to say them. She sighs softly and smiles, our first kiss she whispers and he thinks he's found that girl again.

**33. madness of the newly converted**

And then, the war is over. She drops to her knees for a second and sobs bitterly for all their actions, for all their losses and she breathes heavily. Composing herself, pulling herself inside again, she stands and searches for those she loves. She leaves him for last because her heart might just disappear into her sobs if she can't find him at all.

**34. a broken pot**

Faces are grey and bloodstained. Each a shattered picture of what it used to be. She looks hard into them, looking for something she recognises and then she smiles heistantly when she does. She holds them tight and heals with hard hands and holds them again before she leaves. When she finally gets to him in the throne room, her heart is slow and steady. It takes her so long for her to look into him. His face, though awake, looks nothing like his own, beaten and bloody beyond recognition. It's only when she gingerly puts out a hand to hold his face and he closes his eyes that she realises she's found him.

**35. dawn**

When they kiss the second time, not for hellos or goodbyes, they clasp each others hands tightly. Her heart croons in his throat and he holds her tightly until she falls asleep in his arms. Her hair is brittle and hard and knotted in his fingers and he slowly detangles it, careful not to cause her to frown in her slumber.

**36. romantic advice**

When he awakens and finds himself lying on a bed with light arms, he looks for her. She's not in his arms and this terrifies him. His head jerks to the right and he finds the Avatar standing over an empty chair. Sokka took her to get cleaned up, he tells the prince in a monotonous voice. The prince nods and clears his throat, congratulations, you won. But the Avatars eyes tell him that Ihe/i did not win, the prince did. Look after her, he commands in a grainy voice and then his eyes water, please. The Avatar turns towards the door, I'm glad you're better, you really scared us. And by 'us' the prince knows he means her and he nods. Where are you going? The Avatar stops and his head pulls back as if it was tugged by the lightest of strings, away. He hesitates and then turns and looks the prince in the eye, only for a little while. And he leaves with a smile and the prince feels quite alone.

**37. depends upon the forcefulness of character**

That is until she reappears. Her hair is wild and wet and the bags under her eyes look positively devious to him. So, he tells her as she stands in front of his bed, her arms crossed, feels like old-times. Huh, she asks him with a raised eyebrow. Last time you barged into my room, you threatened me, you said you'd kill me, he says with a slight smile on his lips. Oh, who said I wouldn't? There's still time you know. Oh really? He asks with a smirk. Yeah, so long as you keep your hands to yourself, we'll be fine. And now it's his turn to be confused as she jumps towards him and pushes him to the side of his bed and leaps inside. She wraps his arm around him and closes her eyes as she rests her head on her chest. When her eyes close and her breathing deepens, he decides to see how true her words were and begins to touch her face gently. She frowns slightly in her sleep and his fingers travel down to her neck and touches where her necklace used to be. He bites his lip and wonders where it's gone when her eyes snap open. Hands, she barks and then she smiles deviously, I'll kill you in the morning.

**38. seven notes in black**

What are we going to do now she asks the ceiling as she lays next to him. It's the third night like this, the two of them sandwiched together in a small bed, holding on tightly for reasons other than to stop themselves from falling off. He lets out a tight breath and looks at the ceiling with her. I don't know. He bites his lip and then turns to look at her and she's frowning, her eyes still upwards. They water slightly and then a tear trickles down the side of her face and his jaw clenches. Slowly, he reaches forwards and kisses the tear away and she turns to him with wide, afraid eyes. You shouldn't have done that, she whispers. The tears stream down her face forcefully and he shakes his head, imagining that each tear and each kiss is his goodbye.

**39. common decency**

And when they meet again, several months after they've left for their homes and tried to rebuild their lives, their hearts stop in their throats. Hey, she says quietly and edges towards him. She stops a few feet away and in a dignified manner, befitting the Fire Lord and Chief's daughter, they speak lightly about each others lives. Slowly, they walk towards the house he made beside his mothers garden. This is so beautiful, she tells him in hushed whispers. It wasn't here when we left, right? He nods and watches as she dances around the wide open rooms. It's yours, he tells her. Huh? What? He smiles at her confusion, I built it for you, so you could uh, come back whenever you wanted to. He scratches his head and she smiles at his nerves. Really? Um, yeah. Her lips pout into an appreciative smile and she rushes towards him and jumps into his embrace. They pretend that this is how they met first, not with angry stares on frozen snow or decent smiles. They pretend that they met with love, because with love is how they shall live.

**40. pyramid math**

They wait several years before they marry. They wait until they're stronger and wiser and older and more loving, so that they can remember how they used they used to be. But this doesn't stop them from being the same shy and awkward children they used to be. They glide towards each other and there is a slight pause before they assess the situation. You take 'em high, I'll go low, he tells her in that same breathy whisper and she nods. Just like old times, she grins and then looks at the image before them. She raises a brow and frowns, only different. He shrugs and they charge for their five children and tackle them to their respective beds. And when they've finished and wrestled their children to bed, they fall to a heap on the floor and wait for the day to begin again with clasped hands and hushed kisses.

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**an** Well, if this was a surprise to you, it was the same to me really. I had no idea how it was going to end. I actually didn't look at all the prompts properly, I only looked as I went along, if that makes any sense.


End file.
